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Made a little headway with the snatchy accelerator at low speeds

6K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  Nemo1966 
#1 ·
Some people have complained about the snatchy accelerator on the CBR500R (compared to other bikes). I too find it a bit jerky. Yeah I know how to balance the clutch and accelerator round corners etc to feather this out - but still it is rather harsh when you are used to carburettor setups.


Anyhoot - I stumbled onto the Throttle Tamer, this is basically the standard twistgrip control with a cam cut out to produce a smaller twist diameter on the first part of the twist action. This produces a finer control on the first part of the accelerator action. Not a very good description I know - so read here http://www.g2ergo.com/store/g2-street-tamer-throttle-tube/


The above site seems very slow but it does load.


Fitting:
This took approx 40 minutes - if i had to do it again it would take 15 mins, most of the time was taken finding out what went where etc. Also I bought a set of Oxford fat grips for bike as the stock grips went floppy on removal (strange I know). Once fitted I had to adjust the cable, but apart from that it is very straight forward - just a swap. The original part is plastic but the throttle tamer is nicely cnc machined aluminium, with delrin bushing (dry bearing).


Results and cost:
Quite expensive for what it is, approx £70.00 sterling ($80.00 USD) It's an American company, so more expensive over here in the UK.


To be completely honest I wasn't expecting much, I thought it was a bit gimmicky, but all the reviews were very positive, so I thought... what the h#ll.


Once fitted a went for a good 40 minute ride locally, we have lots of small twisty roads in my area, I was completely blown away! I am not saying this completely fixed the problem, but it made a very big improvement!! I would say it went 60% of the way to fixing it and makes the riding experience considerably better for me! Frankly, now I consider the outlay a small price to pay! The accelerator simply feels more Carburettor like in its functionality and feel.


Obviously this is MY review and it is subjective, others may feel differently, but it seems to work for me and the product generally recieves very good reviews.


Now just waiting for my 39T rear sprocket :smile:


Has anyone else had experience with the Throttle tamer?
 
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#3 ·
I opted to go the cheap route and installed grip puppies. I'm very happy with the throttle response now.
 
#5 ·
Seriously?? On these bikes?? Shiiiiiit.....I went the other way, cuz it's way too slow and gradual, and wanted more responsiveness so I got myself a quick-turn throttle. Never heard of a throttle tamer or anyone that would want one, but it sounds like it's the exact opposite of a quick-turn throttle. I think the one I have is about 75% of the stock rotation, to go from closed to fully open. I have one on my zx6r too, and that was already pretty responsive since it's a 600. I'll probably always have one on any sport bike I buy.
 
#9 ·
Most sport bikes are too lean from the factory. That's so they can meet emission requirements. Unless you live in a place where you have to do yearly inspections where they test emissions, the best thing to do to any bike is usually either flash the ECU (especially if you get an aftermarket exhaust), or get a fuel control unit such as a Power Commander or Bazzaz, and then get a custom fuel map made on a dyno. That way you have much better control of the A/F ratio at every point in the engine speed range and can tailor it however you want...whether you want more power in the low range, mid-range or upper range, and that will affect the responsiveness of the throttle feel as well.

I have a full Leo Vince exhaust on mine and a PCV. I haven't got a chance to do a custom map on it, so I just downloaded an existing map from Dynojet's website for my exhaust. It's ok, not optimized obviously, but good enough. And like I said before....no jerkiness in the throttle. Always felt too slow to me, hence I got the quick-turn throttle.
 
#16 ·
For what it's worth, the throttle on mine is pretty snatchy when trickling along in traffic between a closed throttle and just barely open. Much more so than my old, carbed, CB500. The demonstrator was the same.

I've also been riding nearly 40 years, so I'm not speaking as a newbie either.
 
#17 ·
I find my CB500F very easy to ride including a smooth takeoff and predictable throttle response.

My first fuel injected bike was a 2000 VFR. That bike was powerful and I never felt totally comfortable with the twitchiness of the throttle response. I remember driving along at 50mph and you hit a bump and the bump would cause you to slightly turn your wrist and the instant throttle response would throw your head and neck back a little. A very cool bike but never loved this aspect of the bike.

Cheers,

Snade
 
#18 ·
I think what @Nemo1966 mean by "jerky" is mostly about engine brake (off throttle) in very low speed scenarios (e.g. when filtering in peak hour grid lock traffic jam; lots of 1st/2nd gear on-off start-stop). Agree with @GlenAnderson, it is "jerky" and hard to minimise with throttle alone. In such scenarios, i maintain slight constant throttle and use the clutch and rear brake instead to modulate on-off start-stop.
 
#19 ·
I can't bring myself to slip the clutch like that. It goes against everything I was taught many years ago, and have perfected in decades of riding. It's unnecessary mechanical abuse. If it can be managed by adapting my riding style, in terms of "recalibrating" my personal input into the twistgrip, then that's what I'll do. A throttle tamer isn't going to be any use to me as I have the factory heated grips fitted and I'd not be able to move it over. Maybe, if a few thousand miles of practice doesn't sort it, I'll get a remap.

Glad to hear I'm not alone though.
 
#20 ·
I don't think slipping the clutch at <3000 rpm and partial throttle is going to cause any issues.

I'm new to bikes, not sure I understand the term snatchy, but do notice the very subtle difference required in throttle between idle and 2000-2500 rpm. This can also be noticed when coming back onto the throttle after cruizing / rolling in gerar without throttle.

If this is snatchy, I agree. Practice makes this a non issue asside from control during tight turns and round abouts, seems the clutch is a good assistant to regulating the speed at <10kmph.
 
#21 ·
My 500 bought in Au was made in Thailand. Are all 500s made (put together) there? A quick google suggests they are, but I was thinking perhaps different years, models or different factories, lines etc might explain why some ppl clearly think the throttle is snatchy and others don't.

I'm in the "I don't think it (my bike) is snatchy" posse and I'm impressed with the quality of the build. 2015 CBR500RA.
 
#24 ·
The only time my throttle is "snatchy", or "jerky" in my vocabulary, is as go into a corner (not a curve, a corner). After slowing down pre-corner, there is a moment when I am 0% throttle, 0% brake, and begin my right turn. As I start into the throttle, yes, it jerks a bit as it engages, but just a little. Once the throttle engages, everything settles down. I believe that is the nature of the beast, especially with fuel injected engines. I have been experimenting with braking, and then applying a little throttle before I lean in. Sort of works.

In regards to slow speed parking lot traffic, yes, feathering the clutch, or essentially using your clutch as a type of throttle, is the way to go. Wet clutches are designed for this sort of thing, so there is no harm done.
 
#25 ·
Ok - so I replaced the rear sprocket for a renthal 39T, all I say is WOW! In conjunction with the throttle tamer it has turned the CBR500R into a different bike! 1st and 2nd gears are a lot more "usable", driving around urban areas is now a dream and much more like a bike with a good old fashioned carburetor.


It really is a JOY to ride now!
 
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